Brooklyn Beauty Queen Blog: August 2021 Skincare Routine Update

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~ August 2021 Skincare Goals ~

Hello Beauty Lover!

It's that time of the month again... Not that time of the month! It's time for a skincare routine update.

My skincare routines are a little extra, I have more than 10 steps in my routines. You don't have to have to use as many products as I do, only use what your skin needs and loves. If you need some help with building your routine, I now offer a free skincare routine recommendation service. Just fill out this questionnaire to get started.

My skincare routine changes month to month based on the current weather and products that I empty. I also try to switch out products based on my current skincare needs and skincare goals.

For August, my main skincare goal was to clear up some congestion in my pores. During July, my skin started getting congested, so last month I added some products with acids and vitamin A to help increase my cell turnover rate.

Let's talk about some products...

~ August AM Routine ~

Cleanser:

Juice Beauty Prebiotix Coconut + Aloe Cleansing Cream*- as a scientist studying the microbiome, I can tell you that taking care of the microbes living on your skin is very important to your skin's health. I love this cleanser because it helps keep the skin microbiome in balance with prebiotics and gentle cleansers. I find that my skin feels comfortable, not too stripped, and breakouts have been rare since I started using this cleanser. I definitely recommend this one to everyone!

Toner + Essence:

Rovectin Cica Care Purifying Toner*- since I was experiencing congestion, I decided to start with a purifying toner. I like to use the k-beauty method of layering toner, but I typically use several different toners instead of multiple layers of a single toner. I hope that made sense! Anyway, this toner from Rovectin is very gentle but it really helps clear out the pores. I like to apply all toners with my hands, so that's how this one was applied last month.
I'm From Rice Toner*- after using the purifying toner, it was time for some hydration. I love to use the I'm From Rice toner daily to keep my skin feeling soft and supple. This toner alone won't help dry skin, but it will be perfect as a standalone toner for oilier skin types.
Telse Kombucha Teatox Essence*- another amazing product for a boost of hydration is the Kombucha Teatox Essence from Telse. This essence is a bit thicker than a toner, and my skin always feels instantly hydrated with just one layer. I highly recommend toners with fermented ingredients if you are looking to keep your skin in its best condition. This would be great for all skin types except anyone with fungal acne.
Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner*- again, since my skin was feeling congested, I added some snail mucin into my routine. Snail mucin is a fantastic ingredient for acne-prone skin. It helps keep everything hydrated and strengthens the skin barrier without triggering breakouts. I highly recommend this one from Peach Slices. It is super lightweight and perfect for more oily skin types.
elmt Skin Illuminating Solution*- it wouldn't be an AM skincare routine without a healthy dose of Vitamin C! This toner is thick, packed with skin brightening ingredients, and packaged beautifully. I love the elmt toner collection and I highly recommend trying them out.

Serums:

By Wishtrend Hydra Enriched Ampoule*- again, if you are going to be treating acne, it's always a good idea to increase your skin's hydration at the same time. Hyaluronic acid serums are a must for me while using decongesting products. The Hydra Enriched Ampoule is absolutely amazing. When using a serum with hyaluronic acid, you must seal it in with a moisturizer and/or oil. So don't stop at the serum step, even if you have oily skin!
Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Brightening Oil- a great way to seal in hyaluronic acid is with an oil. This brightening oil from Korres is perfect for the summer time. With all the UV rays coming my way, I like to use as many Vitamin C products that I can. This oil is also really pretty, it has floating dried rose petals and smells amazing. Everyone needs this in their life!

Eye Cream:

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Boost 360 Brightening Eye Cream*- there is a lot of conflicting information out there about eye creams and treatments. The only thing I will say about this is to do whatever is right for your skin. My eyes need an eye cream, some eyes can get away with using a regular moisturizer. If I don't use an eye cream, the skin around my eyes dries out like crazy and my fine lines get very noticeable. Anyway, if you like hydrating eye creams, I highly recommend this one from Skinfix. It doesn't sting my eyes and you can even use it on the eyelids!

Moisturizer:

April Skin Real Carrot Cream*- again, I am trying to increase cell turnover, so I decided to use this Vitamin A moisturizer from April Skin. This cream is not like a retinol treatment, but it is a mild form of retinol. I recommend using this with caution and only if you will remember to apply sunscreen on top.
Herbal Face Food The Serum I*- ok, this serum wouldn't normally go here, but this serum is special. The Serum I from Herbal Face Food is a very strong herbal treatment that helps keep the skin looking amazing. It is a little to strong for me to apply directly to my skin, so I like to mix 2-3 drops of this serum into my moisturizer and apply it that way. If you are interested in a natural remedy for aging, acne, discoloration, and texture, you need to get yourself a bottle of this serum! I highly recommend patch testing this first though, like I said, it is very powerful.

Sunscreen:

Australian Gold Tinted Botanical Sunscreen- I am a daily sunscreen wearer, and I hope you are too! If you are going to be taking such good care of your skin with all these amazing products, you need to be wearing a sunscreen. Wear a sunscreen all-year-round, even in the winter! This one is more like a BB cream, and it comes in a few shades. I have been using this sunscreen for years, and I love it so much! You will get a satin finish, SPF50, and a tint to hide the white cast. It's the best!

~ August PM Routine ~

Cleansers:

Skinn Divine Elixir Luminous Skin Facial Cleansing Oil*- if you wear sunscreen and/or makeup, double cleansing is a must. Regular cleansers are just not able to get all the sunscreen and makeup off your face, so an oil or balm cleanser should be used first. This oil cleanser from Skinn is absolutely divine! No pun intended. I like to massage an oil cleanser into my skin while it's still dry. I then wash it off and follow up with a regular cleanser. This oil gets rid of all my makeup, including my mascara and eyeliner! It's fantastic!
Juice Beauty Prebiotix Coconut + Aloe Cleansing Cream*- after cleansing with an oil cleanser, I always follow up with a regular cleanser. See my AM skincare routine above for my thoughts on this cleanser.

Toners + Essence:

Rovectin Cica Care Purifying Toner*- see my AM skincare routine for details.
I'm From Rice Toner*- see my AM skincare routine for details.
Telse Kombucha Teatox Essence*- see my AM skincare routine for details.
Vegreen Alcohol-Free Nature Mucin Toner*- for my PM routine, I like to include a thicker toner at the end of my toning routine. This one from Vegreen is a vegan version of snail mucin made from yams. It is a lot thicker than the snail mucin toner that I used for my AM routine, so it's perfect for the nighttime. If using snail mucin goes against your ethics, I highly recommend checking out this amazing alternative. It is super hydrating and nourishing!

Serums + Treatments:

Klairs Fundamental Watery Oil Drop*- remember that I said I like to use an oil to seal in all my treatments? Well an oil is great after you apply thin, watery serums, but it's not so great with thicker, cream serums. Since my serums in the PM are thicker, I like to apply a lightweight oil first. It's not like a regular oil though, it absorbs immediately and it is a lot more watery than you would think. It's perfect for this routine! I actually love the whole Klairs Fundamental line, so definitely give them a try.
InstaNatural Zinc Vitamin C Serum*- one of my secret weapons against acne is zinc. Using zinc topically will help clear up acne and keep breakouts from developing. This serum from InstaNatural includes both zinc and Vitamin C, a power duo in the fight against acne. Whenever my skin starts feeling congested, I like to include this serum into my routine. I highly recommend checking this serum out if you have acne-prone skin.
Dr. Zenovia Inflam-Aging Night Repair Treatment*- ok, if you don't know already, I am huge fan of Dr. Zenovia skincare. I suffer from hormonal acne, and Dr. Zenovia products have literally saved my face! I will be writing a blog post all about Dr. Zenovia skincare, but I wanted to give a shout-out to this fantastic treatment that keep my skin from getting red and inflamed. If you suffer from red, angry bumps, you need to get yourself one of these ASAP!

Eye Cream:

Dermafirm Bio Eye Defense 4*- like I mentioned above, I need an eye cream in my routine. In the AM, I like to use an eye cream that will provide simple hydration so that my makeup doesn't crack. For the PM, I like to use an eye cream that will help soften my fine lines. The Dermafirm eye cream is absolutely fantastic. It included ingredients like peptides and EGF which are perfect for fine lines. This cream isn't too heavy and doesn't cause any milia, something that I get often with eye creams that are too thick. I definitely recommend this cream for anyone over 30!

Moisturizer + Sleep Pack:

By Wishtrend Acid-Duo Hibiscus 63 Cream*- the best treatment for congested skin is gentle exfoliation. Don't get me wrong, I love the feeling a physical exfoliator gives my skin, but it's not the best to use when your skin is out of balance. Instead, you need to opt for a gentle chemical exfoliator. This cream from By Wishtrend is formulated with two gentle acids that will completely clear out your pores. I was using this nightly until recently, it's not a great idea to use acids every day when they are no longer needed. Now I include this cream into my routine once a week to keep my skin smooth and clear.
Tiam Snail & Azulene Sleeping Mask*- to finish off my PM routine, I always include a sleep pack. These overnight treatments keep my skin glowing every day, and I can't live without them at this point. The Snail & Azulene Sleeping Mask from Tiam is a great affordable option. It's not my absolute favorite sleeping mask, my favorite one is from Erno Laszlo, but it's effective.

Lip Care:

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Recovery Lip Mask*- to finish off my nightly skincare routine, I like to apply a pretty thick layer of the Advanced Therapy Recovery Lip Mask from Fresh. I like this one more than Laneige, and I hope to pick up a backup during the next Sephora sale.

~ Final Thoughts ~

After a month of trying to clear out my pores, I am happy to say that my skin is back to normal! I owe most of my success to the By Wishtrend Acid-Duo Hibiscus 63 Cream and Dr. Zenovia Inflam-Aging Night Repair Treatment, two products that I highly recommend.

I already changed up my routine for September, and I can't wait to show you the new lineup next month. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter at the end of this post so you don't miss any updates!

I hope you enjoyed this post. You can find more of my skincare routines under the Skincare Routines Series tab at the top of this page.

~ Before You Go ~

If you have any questions or concerns, please leave them in the comments section. I would also love to hear from you if you have tried any of these products!

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